Electrolytic alternating-current rectifier.



A. S. HIGKL'BY.

ELEGTROLYTIG ALTERNATING CURRENT RBGTIHER.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.-16, 1908.

900,279. Patented Got. 6, 1908.

ltrolytc cells, has especia ARTHUR sHIcKLEY, oF'MANAsQUAN, NEW JERSEY.

Emc'rnonr'rrc AL'rEnNA'rxNG-otmnmrr nric'rrrma.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. c, 190e'.

f v Appleman' and January 1e, 19 os. sean No. 411,174.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known thatI, ARTHUR S.- HICKLEY, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Manusquan, in the county of Monmouth and State ofyNew Jerseyyhave invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrolytic Alternatin -Current Rectifiers; and I do herebyfdec are thefollowing to be `a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates lprimarily to lelecref'erence to such cells whichare used for transforming alternating-currents, -as shown in.Letters-Patent of the United States, granted to me, June 30th, 1907,and numbered 861,281 and I coince.

The invention has for its object the )revention of undue heating of theelectrote and the active' electrode by the more per .ect circulation ofthe electrolytewand the invention consistsin certain improvements inconi struction, which will be fully disclosed in the followingspecification and claims.

In the practical operation of my invention, I have discovered that whencurrents of high alnperage are passed through the cell, the

heated electrolyte, produced by the rectify` ing of the current at theactive or aluminum electrode, rises to the to of the cell or pluralityof cells, where it 1s liable to stagnate, instead of circulating in thecell and the hollow members thereof. To provide against this conditionof the electrolyte occurring, I

arrange the active electrode in an approximately horizontal position ator near the bottom of the cell, a plurality of cells, or the hollowmelnbers, when used as cells, and the active electrode is preferablyextended into the wall or walls of the cell, yor the hollow membersforming the cell.

When the active electrode is placed in this position, the heat developedat that electrode heats the electrolyte whlch is in direct contacttherewith causing the heated portion of the-electrolyte to rise, and thecooler portion of the electrolyte to descend and take its place, therebyeffecting erfect circulation of the electrolyte in the cel a pluralityof cells, or hollow members forming the cell.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of thlsspeclficatiom-Figure l1 represents a side elevation, partly in sectionof anelectrolytic cell embodying Imy invention. Fig. 2 an end elevationof theA same, and Fig. 3.a side elevation artly in section of vamodified construction o the cell.

\ Reference being had to the drawings,-and

the designating characters thereon, the nu- /meral l indicates anelect-rol-ytic cell composed of a plurality of metallic verticalpar`allel hollow members 2, properly joined together at 3, in the usualmanner of constrzuctf:

111g radiators. The hollow members 2 form the non-active electrode, andto which a-binding post 4 is secured for connectin Wire 5.

(i indicates. the active electro e, of aluminum, or one of its alloys,and extends through the enlarged chamber 7 of the cell, formed by theconnecting members 3, and is supported in the end walls 8, 8 of thecell, and is properly insulated at S), 9, as shown, and on one end ofthe electrode 6, is a binding post 10 for connecting wire rl1. lheinsulators 9 in practice, are supported in stuffing boxes, not shown.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, a c ell 13, is shown separate fromthe hollow Vmem-I bers 2, but connected therewith by pipes 14 and 15, atopposite ends of the cell, by which circulation of the electrolyte ismaintaiiwd through all the hollow members 2 and the cell 13. A The cellhaving been filled with a suitable electrolyte, not shown, through pipe12, which also serves as a vent and connected to the apparatus to becharged; the alternating e ectric current being turned on in the usualmanner, is rectified within the cell, and the electrode 6, becomingheated, disposes ef ,its heat to the electrolyte, which commences torise and circulate throughout the cell, a

plurality of cells, or all the hollow members I 2 of the cell shown, andproduces perfect circulation of the electrolyte, bythe cooler portionthereof descending as the heated portion ascends, and thereby preventsundue heating of the electrolyte. Changes in details of construction-maybe made without departing from the spirit of my lnvcntion.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is l 1. Anelectrolytie cell for alternatin -current rectifiers having an activeelectro( e extendine across the cell near the bottom and througi onewall thereof.

ioo

2. An electrolytic cell for alternating curll 0 1' bottom and crossin`rent rectifiers, having an active .4 electrode submerged in, extendingacross the cell near\ the bottom thereof and supported in the Wall ofthe cell.

- 3. An electrol tic cell for alternating current rectiiers, avingy anactive electrode extending across the cell near th bottomJ thereof andsu )ported at both its ends in the wall of the cell.

4. An electrolytie cell for alternating current` rectiliers composed ofa lurality of hollow members, and an activee ectrode supported at itsends in the wall of the cell, and arranged to dispose of its heat 'tothe electrolyte near the bottom of the cell.

5. An eleetrolytic cell for alternating-eurrent reetifers, composed ofaY plurality of hollow connected members having an active electrodesubmerged in and extending across thel cell near the bottom thereof, andextending throu h one wall of the cell.

6. An e ectrolytic cell for alternating-eurrent rectifiers, composed ofa plurality of hollow connected members provided with a submerged aetiveelectrode arranged near the the cell in an approximately horizontal pane, and of a length ap-. proximately equal to the length ofl the cell.

7. An electrolytic cell for alternating-current rectfiers, composed of aplurality of hollow members connected together in parallel )lanes andprovided with a continuous chamber at the lower end of the cell, and anactive electrode within said chamber to heat the electrolyte incirculation near the bottom ofthe cell.

8. An electrolytic cell for alternating-current rectiers composed of aplurality of separate chambers in communication with each other, achamber at the lower end of the cell in communication with the aforesaidcham-- bers and through which the electrolyte from all the chambers circulates, and an active electrode in the lower chamber, in the path ofand surrounded by the circulatingelectr-olyte. y

9.. An electrolytic cell for alternating-current rectiers, composed of aplurallty of hollow members connected together in parallel planes, andan active electrode extending across all of saidmembers and arranged todispose of its heat to the electrolyte near the bottom of' the cell,whereby the electrolyte is circulated through all of said members andundue heating thereof prevented.

10. An electrolytic cell for alternating current rectifers, composed ofa plurality of hollowr 'members connected 'together in parallel lplanes,and an active electrode extendlng t In testimon whereof I allix mysignature, 1n presence o two wltnesses.

ARTHUR S. HICKLE Y.

itnesses: n I). C. REINOHL,

W. PARKER ltnrNoHL.

rough all the members, and supported A "at its ends in the wall of thecell.

